puppy bowl vii

Several of the players in 'Puppy Bowl VII' (Sun., 3PM ET on Animal Planet) got a little distracted, happy to just roughhouse with each other. That's OK: The cuteness factor goes a long way in this game. And two puppies did cooperate, competing for possession of the football toy and prompting a "two-pup tug-of-war."

Big Red -- an aptly named enormous puppy -- fumbled the toy but got it back and made it to the end zone. Puppy Touchdown! The hamsters (piloting a blimp above the action) and the chicken cheerleaders went wild. Time for the kitten halftime show?

Watching puppies run around on a tiny replica football field is certainly the most adorable Super Bowl counter-programming you'll see on Sunday. As you'd expect, going behind the scenes at the taping of 'Puppy Bowl VII' (Sun., 3PM ET, Animal Planet) in the fall was just as "awwwww"-inducing.

"I do have the best job on the planet," 'Puppy Bowl' executive producer Melinda Toporoff told TV Squad when we visited the set.

This is Toporoff's fourth year in charge of 'Puppy Bowl,' which is shot over two long days in October. (The kitten halftime show is taped on a separate day to keep the cats and dogs from fighting.) We spoke with Toporoff about casting the puppies, picking the gameday lineup and calling puppy penalties.

Watch our video after the jump, and contemplate your career path as you think about how all referee Andrew had to do to get his sweet gig was volunteer at a staff meeting. Lucky duck.